They were given four years in prison each along with serious crime prevention orders.

Detective Sergeant Dave Tye said: "These men tried to steal a lot of money and threatened two people going about their everyday jobs. Shoppers at Waitrose saw what happened and were very scared by what they saw.

“The sentences reflect the seriousness of the crime committed by these men.

“The serious crime prevention orders given by the judge are designed to disrupt their potential criminal activities for five years after they are be released from prison. “This will assist the police in preventing further offending by these two men in the future and keeping the people of Sussex safer."